Scots independence vote set for September 18, 2014

Published:06:13Monday 25 March 2013

SCOTLAND’S referendum will be held on September 18 next year, First Minister Alex Salmond announced in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, March 21.

The date is contained in the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill, introduced to the Parliament and published today, which also confirms that voters will be asked the question “Should Scotland be an independent country?”.

First Minister Alex Salmond said: “On 18 September 2014 people across Scotland will vote to determine their country’s future.

“It will be a historic day, and one on which this ancient nation decides its place in the world.

“People will be able to choose if they want a Scotland that is independent and able to make her own decisions – with a Scottish Parliament that is responsible for making the most of Scotland’s rich resources to benefit its communities and safeguard the welfare of our most vulnerable citizens and accountable for how we engage other nations around the world.

“Devolution has shown how we can use Holyrood’s powers to improve lives in the policy areas where we are already effectively independent.

“Scotland has made great strides since our national Parliament was reconvened in 1999 after almost 300 years.

“We are a more confident country, secure in the knowledge that when we take decisions for ourselves we can help make this a better place to live for all our citizens.

“September 18, 2014 can be a date which becomes etched in our nation’s story as the day Scotland took a decisive step forward to a better, fairer future.”

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